451
Bathia is consumed by the fires of hell after failing to lift the vampire curse from Barnabas. Synopsis Teaser : A séance has been held in the great house at Collinwood, a séance which has suspended time and space, and sent one woman on an uncertain and frightening journey into the past, back to the year 1795. There in the village of Collinsport, Victoria Winters has been unjustly condemned as a witch and the powers of darkness themselves are invoked to undo the curse left behind by a cruel and terrifying force. In the tower room, the old woman Bathia Mapes attempts to bring out the spirit of Angelique Bouchard Collins, but she is attacked by Barnabas. Bathia tells Joshua to use the lit candle to ward Barnabas off and he stops. Bathia feels the spirit of Angelique among them and declares that her power is evil. Act I Joshua says they must begin again and Bathia replies that she can't. She seems less confident now that she’s been attacked. It is a battle between her spirit and Angelique's. Joshua begs her and she refuses. She is terrified and tells him she is only human. Barnabas himself gives a plaintive plea. He sees evil and destruction. He sees himself as the cause of the terror. Joshua pleads with Bathia to help. She says they must go to the Old House, the house of the first curse. She asks Joshua to give her something that belonged to the living Angelique and says they must not be interrupted; it would be fatal. When Joshua says he will pay her well, she says her reward will be her survival. Joshua leads Barnabas out of the tower. But unknown to them, they are seen leaving the house by Millicent Collins. Act II At the Old House, Joshua gives Bathia a ribbon he believes belonged to Angelique. She holds it up to the portrait of Angelique which lights up, proving the ribbon is hers. Bathia again says she must not be disturbed by anyone. The family has returned from the village. Nathan and Naomi discuss their concern that Millicent wasn't with them. While Naomi goes upstairs to check on Daniel, Nathan finds Millicent hiding behind the drapes in the drawing room. She doesn't remember that she and Nathan are married. Wondering aloud who will defend her honor against Nathan, she mentions seeing Barnabas earlier. She will speak to him in the morning and he will defend her honor. Act III Naomi returns to the drawing room, and tells Millicent this talk about Barnabas hurts her. Millicent mentions seeing Barnabas in the Tower Room, but he is now at the Old House with Joshua. Naomi tells Nathan to tend to his wife, and she will go to the Old House. Millicent again says her honor has been threatened as Nathan has a wife and they can never be married. In the foyer of the Old House, Bathia again tries to drive out Angelique. Barnabas moans. Naomi arrives outside and hears voices from inside and tries to enter, but the door is locked. She knocks at the door, calling out for Joshua. Bathia fears all will be lost if Barnabas comes out of his trance. Act IV Joshua answers the door, barring the entrance with his body to prevent Naomi from entering. He urges her to leave immediately; he will explain everything later. Reluctantly, Naomi leaves. Barnabas recognizes his mother's voice, and the spell is broken. Bathia is defeated and now fears for her life. She feels herself on fire. Flames spring up around her, and she vanishes in a fire that leaves no trace. Memorable quotes : Millicent: How handsome you look. Have you brought me flowers? : Nathan: No, I haven't. : Millicent: Usually, when a gentleman courts a lady he brings some token. : Nathan: (confused) Courts? : Millicent: If you had hoped to win my hand, you must prove the honor of your hopes with small but meaningful gifts. : Nathan: Millicent, we are married. I'm not courting you. Dramatis personae * Joan Bennett as Naomi Collins * Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins * Louis Edmonds as Joshua Collins * Joel Crothers as Nathan Forbes * Nancy Barrett as Millicent Collins * Anita Bolster as Bathia Mapes Background information and notes Production Story * Riggs had made arrangements for the family to stay at the inn that night after the governor's speech. But they have come back to Collinwood for reasons never explained. It can't be that they were concerned about the whereabouts of Millicent, since the conversation between Naomi and Nathan makes it clear that each thought Millicent was with the other, and didn't know she was not in town until they got back to Collinwood. * When Joshua brings Barnabas down from the tower room they exit from the door leading to the kitchen, yet the tower room is clearly up the stairs and in the west wing. Bloopers and continuity errors * Joan Bennett mistakenly says, "I'm going to David's room." when she meant to say "Daniel's room". * During the tower room scene, Anita Bolster forgets her next line and pauses for a few seconds, until an off-camera male voice (producer Robert Costello, according to the Dark Shadows Almanac) shouts it to her: "Then go to the house..." Costello's voice was removed from the audio track of this scene in the original DVD release of Collection 6, apparently without approval from Dan Curtis Productions or MPI. The unaltered version, however, was restored for the 2012 DVD reissue, and for the The Complete Original Series box set. * After the spell to lift Angelique's curse is broken, Bathia Mapes backs into the pillar by the candelabra, causing it to wobble sharply. External Links Dark Shadows - Episode 451 on the IMDb Dark Shadows Every Day - Episode 451 - Exorcise in Futility The Dark Shadows Daybook - Episode 451 Category:Dark Shadows episodes